By the end of the year, Dubai Airport is expected to accommodate roughly 70 million passengers. It handled more than 95 million passengers in 2025.
Despite the persistent regional unpredictability affecting the aviation industry in the Middle East, the CEO of Dubai Airports has stated that it won’t lose its top position.
Paul Griffiths thinks DXB will continue to be the busiest airport in the world despite the fact that the US-Iran war severely damaged numerous networks. Griffiths declared, “I’m not going to lose that crown to anyone else. We’ve been No. 1 for 12 years.”
Griffiths was in a positive frame of mind when he made the assertion during a news conference on Wednesday, where he revealed that $14.8 billion in contracts had been submitted for the Al Maktoum International Airport. Despite a 42% decrease in passenger volume in Q2, DXB still anticipates processing 70 million by the end of 2026.
Although 95.2 million people passed through the airport’s gates in 2025, Dubai International Airport’s overall operating efficiency is remarkable. According to Griffiths, DXB will continue to play a significant role in the international aviation industry.
“The first six months cannot be used to predict long-term strength. We will undoubtedly finish this year at the top thanks to our network, our worldwide location, and our significance in international air travel,” Griffiths stated.
Griffiths expressed optimism over the figures they are projecting for Q3 and Q4, despite the fact that several international airlines are still absent from DXB and other minor airports. Ninety percent of the capacity of Emirates, the flagship airline of Dubai, is anticipated to be restored.
